goldenlions - St. Pius X Catholic High School

G O L D E N L I O N S
Jim Walsh, Assistant Freshman Coach
Coach Jim Walsh begins his 41st year of coaching football. He and his wife, Susan, have
been married for 39 years and have four children: Colleen (38), Nancy (Louis) Gospodareck
(36), Bobby (34), and Meghan (Antonio) Smith (31). They also have four grandchildren, Grant
and Allie Gospodareck, ages 9 and 7, and twins Bryson and Ansley Smith, who will be three
in October. Coach Walsh graduated from the University of Georgia in 1973 and earned his
Master’s Degree from Georgia State University. He was named National Assistant Football
Coach of the Year in 2002. Coach Walsh has coached football at Osborne High School,
Marietta High School, Westwood High School, TriCities High School, Riverwood High School
(where he was also head basketball coach), and North Springs High School before coming
to St. Pius X. He serves as a Eucharistic Minister to the Sick and is involved in the Night Shelter
Ministry at his church, St. Thomas the Apostle in Smyrna. A veteran of the Vietnam War with the
U.S. Navy, Coach Walsh will be an assistant ninth grade coach this year.
Mike Lancaster, Assistant Freshman Coach
Coach Lancaster is beginning his 34th year of teaching and coaching and his 3rd year at St.
Pius, coaching both football and baseball. Coach Lancaster works for the Gwinnett County
Public School System at Berkmar High School where he serves as the Department Chair for
the Health and Physical Education Department and as the Head Wrestling Coach. Coach
Lancaster and his wife, Lisa, have two children; Marc, 28, and Laura, 22. In addition, Coach
Lancaster and Lisa are the proud grandparents of Collin, 8, Matthew, 4, and Peyton, 1.
Tom Ksionzyk, Assistant Freshman Coach
Coach Ksionzyk begins his sixth year coaching football at St. Pius. Coach Ksionzyk is also a
Varsity Assistant Baseball Coach at St. Pius. Coach Ksionzyk teaches in the City of Decatur
School System. Tom lives in Decatur with his wife Anne and has two sons, Kevin, St. Pius class
of ‘05, and Brady, a senior at Druids Hills High School.
Brian Connors, Assistant Freshman Coach
Coach Connors begins his ninth year at St. Pius X. Coach Connors is a 1980 graduate of St.
Pius X and a teammate of Coach Standard. Coach Connors has coached youth football for
several years at Roswell Youth Football Association before coming to St. Pius X. He and his wife
Maria have four children, Brian (20) (SPX 2010) a junior at Catholic University, Alexis (18) SPX
2012 a freshman at Campbell University, Joey (15) a Sophomore at SPX, and Andrea (7).
Eddie Smith, Assistant Freshman Coach
Coach Smith is beginning his 38th year of coaching high school football. He has spent the last 28
years of his career coaching the defensive line, and has been coaching the varsity defensive
tackles here at St. Pius for Coach Paul Standard. A proponent of free substitution, Coach Smith
is looking forward to coaching our freshmen players and working with our freshmen coaching
staff. He is married to the former Karen Yingling of Hampton, Georgia, a graduate of Auburn
University and a guidance counselor at Mill Creek High School in Gwinnett County. They have
a son, Andrew (18), SPX 2012. He is an honor student and a three year letterman on our varsity
lacrosse team. He will be attending Auburn University in the fall. Coach Smith is beginning his
ninth year here at St. Pius and his 41st year of teaching. In addition to his coaching duties,
Coach Smith is also a professor of English here at St. Pius. Coach Smith will be coaching the
freshmen defensive tackles and will also be in charge of laundry and morale.
2012 FOOTBALL
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